MY MEMOIR

 

A few years back I decided to write my memoirs and now I’m pretty much finished. Not that my life has been anything that earth shattering but I have always felt that everybody has a story to tell. A story that no one will ever know about you, unless you write it down before you pass. I have on several occasions had opportunities to write peoples memoirs for them. It’s a hard thing to do because in order to do it, it must be the unvarnished truth and in their own words and not many people are willing to talk like that with a complete stranger. It also can involve volumes of experiences in a long-lived life. I find it a huge loss to have lived a life well lived and let it all go to the grave with you. Rich or poor, famous or not, you have a story to tell. I have found that to write with feeling you have to be able to feel the pain, suffering and the joy and happiness in people’s experiences. The right words have always been there to use but to be authentic to the story they must be the right fit. I was blessed with two things in life that I am eternally grateful for. A stellar memory and an equally vivid imagination. I believe it was Mark Twain who said, “My memory is so good, that sometimes I remember things that never even happened.” You see when your memory fails you sometimes it’s your imagination that fills in the gaps. As long as you don’t stray too far from the topic and stay somewhat relevant, it works for most people. You can’t remember everything. I’m not sure who I will share my memoirs with. Most likely family because they were part of them but I have written them and maybe they are just for posterity in my family but where they go from there Is not up to me.

 

I once had a friend who had a new joke for me each time we talked. Some of them were side busters but he delivered them in this monotone voice with no expression at all and when he was done, I never knew when it was appropriate to laugh or not. Now my father on the other hand, who was a great story teller would have you laughing before he ever got to the punch line because of his own laughing even though it was the same tired old jokes all the time. It was all in his delivery. It’s that way with your life’s experiences too. It’s what makes a book a page turner or just something to brace up the bookend in your bookcase. It’s not what you say, its how you say it and not everyone knows the most compelling way to express themselves but somewhere there is someone who does and there is no shame in asking for help.

 

I love to listen to people’s stories and experiences. And as I said at the start of this, you need to find someone to help you tell their story. You need to break your life down into sections like your childhood, your teen age years, your college years or pre married years. Your married life and your family and career, or military service. Your senior years. It’s not easy and it will take a lot of soul searching but it’s all a part of your story. It not about your failures and shortcomings unless you want it to be. It’s more about what you experienced in life and it’s not to rewrite your life. Those sorry’s don’t belong in your story, let the readers be your judge. Length has nothing to do with your story either. In fact, too many words are probably worse than not enough. What is important is to find someone who can emulate your feelings and actions by turning them into appropriate words, so when your written story is read. They will say, “Yes that how I remember him/her. You have the power to influence others with your story and if that happens, what better thing could you leave for them, then a story of a life well lived. Your story.